New York · Hiking

Irish Loop Trail

Irish Loop TrailPhoto: javajoe6, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
1.0 mi
loop
342 ft
climb
1,857 ft
high point
Loop
route
Aug–Sep
best months

Irish Loop Trail is a short, easy loop in New York's James Kennedy State Forest, managed by the State Department of Conservation. The trail is about a mile long, rising about 340 feet from a low point of 1,549 feet to a high of 1,857 feet. The steepest stretch comes at about half a mile in, with a grade of 22 percent, but the climb is manageable on a route this short. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Ithaca put July highs around 79°F with lows near 56°F, while temperatures on the trail run cooler than those figures. Winter is cold, with January highs around 30°F. The trail takes about half an hour to walk, and it sits among several other loops. The Lithuanian Loop Trail is just 0.1 mile away, the Dabes Diversion Loop is about 0.6 mile off, and the Spanish Loop Trail and Kuzia Cut-Off are each under a mile away.

  • Best time to go · Aug–Sep

    Best time to visit Irish Loop Trail

    Best months: August–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      30° / 13°

      19 wet

    2. Feb

      32° / 14°

      17 wet

    3. Mar

      41° / 22°

      17 wet

    4. Apr

      54° / 33°

      15 wet

    5. May

      67° / 43°

      14 wet

    6. Jun

      75° / 52°

      13 wet

    7. Jul

      79° / 56°

      13 wet

    8. Aug

      77° / 54°

      12 wet

    9. Sep

      70° / 48°

      12 wet

    10. Oct

      58° / 38°

      15 wet

    11. Nov

      46° / 29°

      15 wet

    12. Dec

      35° / 21°

      19 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Ithaca 13 E, NY, 3.6 mi away at 1,228 ft. The station sits about 600 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors